1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound producing device, particularly to a dual-bearing reel drag sound producing device configured to produce sounds in conjunction with activation of a drag mechanism configured to wind a fishing line about an axis parallel to a handle shaft rotatably attached to a reel unit.
2. Background Art
The dual-bearing reels of some types include a drag sound producing device configured to inform an angler of drag activation. For example, Japan Examined Utility Model Registration No. JP-Y-2535459 describes a drag sound producing device configured to produce sounds only when a spool is rotated in a fishing-line releasing direction. The drag sound producing device of the well-known type includes a gear member, a hitting member, a drive mechanism and an urging member. The gear member (an example of a rotation member) is either a main gear or a gear configured to rotate in conjunction with the main gear. The hitting member is configured to make contact with or move away from the gear member. The drive mechanism is configured to separate the hitting member away from the gear member in conjunction with rotation of the gear member in the fishing-line winding direction. The urging member is configured to urge the hitting member. An interposed plate is attached to a claw member of a one-way clutch for moving the claw member away from a ratchet wheel in conjunction with rotation of a handle shaft in a fishing-line winding direction. The interposed plate is frictionally coupled to the ratchet wheel attached onto the handle shaft. The hitting member is pivotably attached to either the reel unit or the claw member of the one-way clutch. The claw member, functioning as a drive mechanism, is configured to cause the hitting member to pivot between a contact position and a remote position depending on the spool rotational direction.
According to the drag sound producing device with the aforementioned structure, the hitting member is moved to the remote position by the claw member in conjunction with the spool rotation in the fishing-line winding direction. The drag sound producing device does not produce sounds. When the spool is rotated in the fishing-line releasing direction, on the other hand, the claw member is engaged with the ratchet wheel. The handle shaft is thereby prevented from rotating. The main gear, which rotates in the fishing-line releasing direction, is braked and the drag function is performed by the drag mechanism. When the main gear is rotated in the fishing-line releasing direction under the activation of the drag mechanism, the hitting member is moved to the contact position by the claw member. When being disposed in the contact position, the hitting member is urged by the urging member and vibrated in conjunction with the main gear rotation in the fishing-line releasing direction. The drag sound producing device thus produces sounds.
According to the well-known structure, the hitting member is pivotably attached to either the reel unit or the claw member. A so-called stuck phenomenon may be thereby produced immediately before the drag sound producing device produces sounds when the main gear is reversely rotated in the fishing-line releasing direction. The stuck phenomenon herein refers to a phenomenon that the gear member is prevented from rotating for a short period of time when the urging member urges the hitting member and accordingly the tip of the hitting member makes contact with the tip of a given tooth of the gear member. When the stuck phenomenon is produced, the drag mechanism may be awkward to operate and prevented from smoothly operating. Further, abrasion may be caused on either the tip of the hitting member or the teeth tips of the gear member when the stuck phenomenon is produced.
The present invention addresses a need to provide a dual-bearing reel drag sound producing device for allowing a drag mechanism to smoothly operate and simultaneously reducing abrasion of either a rotation member or a hitting member.